Improved sleeping-car



UNITED STATES BEN FIELD, OF ALBION, NEW `YORK, ASSIGNOB TO HIMSELF AND GEO.`

PATENT OFFICE.

M PULLMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IIVIPROVED SLEEPING-CAR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,853, dated July 31, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BEN FIELD, of Albion, in the county of Orleans and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Sleeping-Cars for Railroads; and I `do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, made part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of the interior of a section. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section, and Fig. 3 is a front elevation of v a section representing the upper couch as foldedl back.

My improvements relate, first, to the `ar rangement of a head-board for the lower berth, and, second, in the mode of suspending the front part of the upper berth when the same is turned down for use as a couch, and enabling the same to be turned up when the couch is not used.

I do not propose to describe any other than the parts used in my improved car.

A and A are seats made stationary, facing one another, inclosed between partitions forminga section. To the top of the back of the seat A' is attached a board, B, of the length `of the back of the'seat and the width of the space between the top of the seat and the bottom of the Lipper couch when turned down. This board is so attached by hinges that when the car is used for purposes of mere trans portation it may be folded down in front of the back of the seat, as shown in Fig. 2, and by the red lines in Figs. l and 3. i

In upholstering the car the back of the seat is covered by a detachable cushion, which may be folded down or rem ovcd, and then the board B may be turned up so as entirely to ll the space between the back of the seat and the bottom of the upper couch. f

G is the Lipper couch, the frame of which is represented, and is so constructed that a mat tress may be placed on it. The shape of this frame is shown most distinctly in Fig. 2. There is a narrow triangular partition, eX- tending from the bottom of the berth O to the roof of the car. (Marked E in Fig. l.) To this partition the frame of the couch O may be hinged by a pivot. (Shown at D in Fig. 2.)

Head-boards F and, foot-boards F', of the shape of the partitions E, are placed at the ends of the frame of the upperl berth, as shown, and attached thereto. To ll the space that would be left between the partition E and the triangular foot and head boards F' and F, pieces of sheet metal are cut and in serted', as shown in Fig. l, and by the red lines in Fig. 2. This piece (marked G) is pivoted also upon the bolt D. It has upon its exterior face, near the top, and on its interior face, near the bottom, projecting points H and H', which movein slots I and I', cut in the arcs of circles whose center is the pivot D, which are extended just far enough to suspend the frame O when horizontal, and to permit it to be folded up so as to fill the space between the base of the triangular partition E and the raised portion of the roof of the car.

The three parts E, G, and F constitute also, when the upper berths, C, are down, complete head and foot boards for the same. By using more than one piece G the couch can be raised more nearly perpendicular.

' L and L' are bolts, movable longitudinally, operated by the points K and K', and which, being projected, t into holes properly disposed in the partitions E, for securing the couch C when folded up.

The upper couch may be raised and lowered by cords and pulleys, if found desirable.

Having fully described the character and operation of my improvements in sleepingcars, what I claim as my invention, and seek to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the couches of a' convertible sleeping-car, the hinged board B, when attached to the back of a seat, and ca pable of being adjusted substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the upper couch, C, one or more intermediate pieces, G, connect ing the head and foot pieces F and F', and the partitions E, substantially in the manner and for the purposes setforth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my.

name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BEN FIELD.

Witnesses:

J oHN S. HoLLINcrsHEAD, Z. B. BROOKE. 

